Penn State Policy AD-69 and WCAG 2.x
Penn State Policy AD-69 “Accessibility of Information and Communications Technology” was created in August 2011 and updated in 2025 to specify the required accessibility accommodations for Penn State Web sites, digital documents, multimedia and software tools.
AD-69 Policy and Accessibility
To quote from policy AD-69:
The Pennsylvania State University is committed to ensuring equal access to information, programs, and activities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Title II and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 for all its constituencies.
SCOPE: Penn State has adopted widely accepted international and national accessibility standards and guidelines in order to ensure compliance with federal laws and regulations, particularly Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
Standards
Policy Ad-69 currently references multiple accessibility standards, but principally the most current version of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2 (WCAG 2)) Levels A and AA.
See WCAG2ICT Guidance on Applying WCAG 2.2 to Non-Web Information and Communications Technologies or the Penn State WCAG 2 Reference for additional information.
Exemptions
Some exemptions may be granted in specific circumstances when it is not technologically feasible to achieve compliance with guidelines or a project falls outside the scope of the policy. Contact accessibility@psu.edu for details and a consultation. In some cases, an EEAAP plan may need to be filed.
Related Penn State Policies
These policies also incorporate various references to accessibility technology.
Policy AD-25: Video Captioning and Accessibility
In addition to Policy AD-69, Policy AD-25 “Video Productions” specifies that promotional videos should also comply with accessibility guidelines.
Faculty Senate Policy 43-00: Syllabus Statement
Faculty Senate Policy 43-00 specifies that all course syllabi must include “information on procedures related to academic adjustments identified by the Office of Disability Services”. See Accessibility Syllabus Language for recommended language.
Last Update: March 3, 2025